Dealing With Grief Through Art

When it comes to a loss, whether it's a break-up or death the emotions and stages we all go through are nearly symbiotic for all humans. But what we do after the loss is what separates us as individuals. Grief usually signals feelings of sadness and despair. You may not be sure what to do with your emotional pain let alone determining why or what it is.

Grief usually signals feelings of sadness and despair.

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Throughout this COVID-19 pandemic, many people have found themselves struggling with their mental health at a more intense level. Perhaps seeing or hearing so many alarming headlines sent your depression further into a hole.

You may not be sure what to do with your emotional pain let alone determining why or what it is.

Photo by Daniel Franco- Unsplash

In the time of grief, this is one of the most common questions addressed in counseling. People would like to know how long they will need the therapy and how soon their pain can go away.

After the loss of a loved one, therapy can help those grieving deal with their loss and move forward. However, we recognize there is a process involved. It depends on one’s willingness to address the stages of grief in an open, honest way. Not everyone can make the same progress with the same kind of therapy, which is why it’s important to know there are many therapy options out there.

After the loss of a loved one, therapy can help those grieving deal with their loss and move forward. However, we recognize there is a process involved.

Photo by: Janosch Diggelmann

One, in particular, is art therapy. Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that encourages self-expression through various creative mediums such as drawing, painting, ceramics, and sculpture. Even if you don’t consider yourself artistic, art therapy is a great way to cope with a loss. Although you can use art therapy to reflect on and express your grief, it can also promote positive thoughts. Creating art helps you relax and lets you live in the moment instead of constantly thinking of your loss. From scribble drawing with a carefully selected color to more elaborate mixed-media sculptures, there are varieties of creative activities that may support our grief art and a variety of benefits we may experience from working with art. For instance, art may help us find a bit of comfort in our grief, as it can be a safe place of refuge and a container for overwhelming emotions like anger, fear, and anxiety. I do not certainly paint to impress others but to express the emotion of myself. It is to convey deeper meanings and understanding into what feelings tie into what pieces.

We at Naz Kobari, are doing our best to advocate for mental health awareness, to incorporate art as a treatment for mental health issues.